Cupola door



Oct. 27, 1959 'r. TIN'KER 2,910,022

CUPOLA DOOR Filed Dec. 30, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l i I k7 L 3 i, A: Y j INVENTOR. 96 JbWJm/zd fmlrer,

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Oct. 27, 19 T. TINKER 2,910,022

.CUPOLA'L DOOR Filed'Dec. so. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gem mend Tz'nk gm W M $62 ATTORNEYS.

CUPOLA noon Townsend Tinker, Orchard Park, N.Y., assignor to American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 30, 1955, Serial No. 556,497

8 Claims. (ClQ110-176) This invention relates to cupola door arrangement and operation and particularly to means for operating such a door between closed andopen positions, means for maintaining the door securely sealed when in closed position, and means for efiiciently and adequately cooling the door itself and the cooperating cupola door frame structure.

- It is an object of the present invention to provide a cupola charging door which is held closed by pneumatic pressure in a safe and certain manner but which is'readily.

and the door proper for sealing the latter in closed posi-- tion.

It is fairly common in the cupola art to provide a double door arrangement with an air lock compartment between the two doors. The door arrangement of the present invention, both as to the manner in which the door is held in sealed position and as to the elfective thermal barrier which is provided by the complete water-jacketing of the door frame structure and the door itself, is such that only e single door structure is required. The cupola charging operation is thus greatly simplified and speeded up.

i A single detailed embodiment of the principles of the present invention is illustrated in the drawings and described in the following specification by way of example but it is to be understood that various mechanical modifications maybe introduced without departing from the principles of the present invention, the latter being limited only as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the charging section of an iron melting cupola provided with one form of the charging door arrangement of the present invention;

. Fig. 2 is a top plan cross-sectional view of the apparatus ofFig. 1 taken approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and a l 1 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal cross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

- Like characters of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings. The numeral desige' na tesa vertical,,cylindrical cupola casing portion which 7 is provided with a lateral charging door opening with.

which the charging door arrangement of the present invention is associated and cooperates. The actual opening in the cupola casing 10 is designated 11 in Figs. 3 and 4. Upper and lower inner and outer pairs of spaced plates 12'a'nd 13 project outwardly from the upper and lower:

2,910,022 Patented Qct. 27, 1952 margins of door opening 11 and are welded to a framing plate member 14.

As shown in Fig. 4, inner and outer spaced plates also project outwardly from the door opening along its opposite vertical edges, these plates being designated 16 and 17 and likewise extending outwardly to the framing member 14. The spaces between the inner and outer plates 12 and 13 and 16 and 17 provide a water jacket space for cooling this much of the door frame structure. Upper and lower gusset plates 18 and lateral gusset plates 19 at opposite sides of the door frame tie the framing member s 14 rigidly to the cupola casing proper.

A further outward extension of the door frame opening is provided by inner and outer plates 20 and 21 which are virtually outward extensions of the upper and lower plates 12 and 13 and by inner and outer plates 22 and 23 which comprise outward extensions of the inner and outer vertical plates 16 and 17. At their outer edges the plates 20, 21, 22 and '23 are welded to a door jamb member 25 which extends entirely about the door opening at its outer end.

All of the foregoing door frame forming structure is rigidly welded to form a unitary door frame'structure and the inner and outer plates 20 and 21 and 22 and 23 likewise form a double wall water jacket structure for receiving cooling water, whereby the entire door frame structure is water-cooled.

The foregoing door frame structure supports a rigiddoor assembly guide structure which will nowbe described. A series of outwardly projecting plates 30 of inverted U shape are welded at their inner ends to the upper portion of the door frame structure as clearly shown in Fig. 3. An I-beam 31 is secured along the upper edges of the several plates 30 anda grooved track 32 is secured.

against the lower edges of the medial portions of plates 30. A further guide and backup bar 33 is secured to the outer terminal portions of the plates 30, likewise as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

A lower door guide structure comprises a similar series of outwardly projecting plates 36 of generally U shape which are fixed at their inner ends to the lower portion of the door frame structure. An I-beam 37 is fixed'along the lower edges of the several plates 36 and a lower guide bar or track 38 is fixed to the upper edges of the medial portions of the plates 36. An outer guide and backup bar 44 is fixed to the outer terminal portions of the several plates 36, again all as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. 1, the I-beams 31 and 37 project substantially to the right of the cupola door frame and are connected at their right-hand extremities by a vertical structural member 42.

' ported by the carrier for opening and closing movement with the door carrier and for movement relative to the carrier toward the door frame structure. The door proper is of double wall construction and water-cooled throughout.

Referring to Fig. 3, the door carrier comprises generally a plate 50 which is of the approximate general ex-' panse of the door frame structure and is provided with, a generally T-shaped upper rail member 51 and a grooved lower member 52. The lower rail member.

It will :be noted that the. track and guide bar devices 32 and 38 which are assois adapted to track along the upper peripheries of rollers 43 and the upper edge of the T-shaped upper rail member 51 tracks in the groove of track member 32. Rail members 51 and 52 form parts. of a. continuous frame formation extending about plate member 50 and the numerals 55 and 56 in Fig. 4 designate vertical side rail members which complete this frame formation.

The door proper comprises inner and outer plate members designated 60 and 61, respectively, and edge framing members comprising upper and lower bars 62 and 63 and vertical side bars 64 and 65. The bars 62 through 65 form a continuous inwardly facing sealing surface and are adapted to seat against gasket devices 66 which are provided at the outer faces of the door jamb member 25. A liquid coolant is circulated through the space thus formed within the door member proper and, referring to Fig. 1, the numerals 70 and 71 designate inlet and outlet connections for such coolant.

The door member proper is supported from the door carrier for free movement toward and away from the door frame structure, within a limited but adequate range, by means of a pair of links 75 which are pivoted at their upper ends to the vertical rail members 55 and 56 of the door carrier as indicated at 77 in Fig. 3 and are pivoted at their lower ends to the vertical edge forming bars 64 and 65 of the door proper as at 78 in Fig. 3. Movements of the door proper toward and away from the door frame structure, by swinging movements of the links 75, are controlled jointly by air pressure and by spring operated devices designated generally by the numeral 80.

The spring operated devices 80 urge the door member proper to a retracted position away from the door frame and within the door carrier. A plurality of spring operated devices 80 are provided, in the present instance four, and, referring to Fig. 3, each comprises a generally cupshaped casing member 81 secured externally against the plate 50 of the door carrier. Each spring operated device includes a rod 82 fixed at one end to the outer plate member 61 of the door proper and projecting loosely through plate 50 of the door carrier and into the interior of casing member 81.

A compression coil spring 83 is disposed about each rod 82 within casing member 81 and bears at one end against the exterior side of door carrier plate 50 and at its other end against a cup-shaped retainer 85 which is fixed to the outer end of rod 82.

The space between the door member proper and door carrier plate 50 is hermetically sealed by a generally U-shaped flexible metallic member 90 which is secured, as by welding, or brazing at its opposite edge portions to the frame members 62 through 65 of the door proper and to the rail members 51, 52, 55 and 56 which form the frame of the door carrier.

An air pressure connection 91 in the vertical side rail member 55 is supplied with air under pressure by way of a flexible conduit 92 which may be selectively energized to move the door proper to sealing position against the gaskets 66, the air pressure being adapted toover come the normal door withdrawing force of the springs 83.

The conduit 92 is pressurized directly from the discharge side of the blower which conventionally provides blast air to the cupola and this direct pressure application to the relatively confined space between the door carrier and the door proper, as compared with an open cupola space or combustion chamber with convection currents passing upwardly therethrough, insures that a greater dynamic unit fluid pressure will prevail in such space than in the interior of the cupola. Moreover, since the effective area of the pressure acting against the door from within thespace between the door member proper and door carrier plate 50-is greater than the area of, the door opening, there will always be a greater force urging the door closed than any door opening" 4 force from within the cupola or combustion chamber.

The blower itself is entirely conventional and is indicated schematically at 93 in Fig. l. Blower 93 supplies blast and combustion air to the cupola by way of bustles, designated 94 and 95 in Fig. 1, and tuyeres leading therefrom. The dot and dash line 96 indicates the conduit leading from blower 93 to such bustles. A further conduit from blower 93, designated 97, leads to the conduit 92 for supplying door-sealing pressure and control of such pressure may be by means of a selectively operable valve 98.

A two way fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder door operator is designated 100' in Figs. 1 and 2 and is pivotally attached to vertical structural member 42. A connecting rod 101 extends from operator 100 to side rail member 55 of the door carrier structure. When the door is to be opened to introduce charge into the cupola the pressure in the space between door carrier plate 50 and the door proper is relieved to atmosphere so that operator 100 may freely slide the door carrier and the door proper to open position and, subsequently, to closed position.

Flexible bellows 102 and 103 are secured at one end of each to the cooling liquid connections 70 and 71, respectively, and at their opposite ends to the plate 50, whereby to provide a freely flexible seal about points where the connections 70 and 71 pass through plate 50. Connections 70 and 71 are provided with flexible conduit extensions 105 and 106 which may be anchored to fixed piping at vertical structural member 42, to permit free opening and closing movements of the door structure.

I claim:

1. In a cupola, a blast air blower, charging door apparatus comprising means forming a door opening in said cupola and door means movable to and from a position of registry with said door opening, said door means including a door carrier guided for movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the door opening and adapted to maintain a relatively fixed perpendicular distance from the door opening, a door member carried by said carrier at the side adjacent to the door opening, means extending about the edges of the door carrier and the door member flexibly sealing the same to provide a fluid pressure chamber expansible under fluid pressure to urge the door member against the marginal portions of said door opening,

a conduit directly connected between said blower and said fluid pressure means to supply a door sealing fluid pres-- sure within said chamber, and a valve in said conduit.

2. In a cupola charging door apparatus, a cupola having a door opening therein, a door frame extending about the margins of said door opening, a door carrier spaced outwardly of said door frame and means mounting said door carrier for movement between a position of registry with said door frame and a position of non-registry, a door member supported by said carrier for movement toward and away from the door frame in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said door frame, spring means acting between said carrier and said door member urging the latter away from the door frame, and fluid pressure means selectively operable to move the door member against the door frame against the urge of said spring means.

3. In a cupola, a blast air blower and means forming a charging door opening, charging door apparatus comprising a door carrier spaced outwardly of said door opening and means mounting said door carrier for movement between a position of registry with said door opening and a position of non-registry, a door member supported by said carrier for movement toward and away from the door opening in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said door opening, spring means acting between said carrier and said door member urging the latter away from the door opening, fluid pressure means operable to move the door member against the door'opening' against the urge of said spring means, a conduit directly connected between said blower and said fluid pressure means to supply a door sealing fluid pressure within said chamber, and a valve in said conduit.

4. In a charging door apparatus for a cupola, a door opening therein, a door frame extending about the margins of said door opening, a door carrier spaced outwardly of said door frame for movement between a position of registry with said door frame and a position of non-registry, bracket means fixed to said door frame and projecting outwardly above and below said opening to provide horizontal guide means for said door carrier, a door member supported by said carrier for movement toward and away from the door frame in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said door frame, spring means acting between said carrier and said door member urging the latter away from the door frame, and fluid pressure means selectively operable to move the door member against the door frame against the urge of said spring means.

5. In a cupola charging door apparatus, a cupola having means forming a door opening therein, door means including a first panel portion of approximately the same area as the door opening and adapted to be supported in registry therewith but spaced outwardly thereof, a second panel portion comprising a closure for said door open ing, spring means acting between said panel portions for normally urging them toward each other to withdraw said second panel portion from said door opening, means extending about the edges of said panel portions flexibly sealing the space therebetween'to provide a fluid pressure chamber expansible under fluid pressure to overcome said spring means and urge said second panel portion against the means forming said door opening, a conduit directly connected between said blower and said fluid pressure means to supply a door sealing fluid pressure within said chamber, and a valve in said conduit.

6. In a cupola, a blast air blower, changing door apparatus comprising means forming a door opening in said cupola and door means including a first panel portion spaced outwardly of said door opening and a second panel portion comprising a closure for said door opening, means extending about the edges of said panel portions flexibly sealing the space therebetween to provide a fluid pressure chamber expansible under fluid pressure to urge said second panel portion against the means forming said door opening, a conduit directly con nected between said blower and said fluid pressure means to supply a door sealing fluid pressure within said chamber, and a valve in said conduit.

7. In a cupola, a blast air blower, charging door apparatus comprising means forming a door opening in said cupola and door means including a first panel portion spaced outwardly of said door opening and a second panel portion comprising a closure for said door opening, spring means acting between said panel portions for normally urging them toward each other to withdraw said second panel portion from said door opening, means extending about the edges of said panel portions flexibly sealing the space therebetween to provide a fluid pressure chamber expansible under fluid pressure to overcome said spring means and urge said second panel portion against the means forming said door opening, a conduit directly connected between said blower and said fluid pressure means to supply a door sealing fluid pressure within said chamber, and a, valve in said conduit.

8. In a cupola, a blast air blower, charging door apparatus comprising means forming a door opening in said cupola and door means including a first panel portion spaced outwardly of said door opening and a second panel portion between said door opening and said first panel portion and comprising a closure for said door opening, said second panel portion being normally held spaced from said door opening toward said first panel portion, means extending about the edges of said panel portions flexibly sealing the space therebetween to provide a fluid pressure chamber expansible to urge said second panel portion against the door opening, a conduit directly connected between said blower and said fluid pressure means to supply a door sealing fluid pressure within said chamber, and a valve in said conduit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,359,875 Da Costa Nov. 23, 1920 1,806,861 Owen May 26, 1931 2,259,900 Loxtennan Oct. 21, 1941 2,507,360 Wicks May 9, 1950 2,557,536 Drane et al June 19, 1951 2,582,877 Mekler Jan. 15, 1952 2,671,940 Billner Mar. 16, 1954 

